Short-Range Cornering Light in an Exterior Mirror

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a short-range cornering light in the exterior mirror ( 3 ) of a vehicle, which contains at least one lighting unit ( 5 ) that comprises at least one mirror blinker, characterized in that the lighting unit ( 5 ) contains means for illuminating a short-range area ( 6 ) that extends at least alongside the vehicle and in front of the exterior mirror ( 3 ) in the driving direction, wherein the means can be activated below a threshold speed of the vehicle ( 1 ).

There are various systems available today for adaptive front-lighting of a vehicle. These systems seek to provide dynamic front-lighting, or curve lighting functionality, for a vehicle.

The systems that are currently available typically use mechanical systems to provide the curve lighting functionality. For example, motors, such as stepper motors, may rotate a lens, a reflector, a mount, or a light source of a headlamp, or an entire light module. The stepper motors may receive signals to steer the light beam in horizontal and/or vertical directions. A particular steering angle of the light beam may be defined as a function of vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. In addition, a typical range of rotation of the light beam may be ±15 degrees left/right and ±15 degrees up/down. As a result, a roadway may be more effectively illuminated by the curve lighting functionality, thereby increasing safety and comfort.

The Patent Application DE 10 2006 039 182 A1 describes a vehicle having a light radiating device with two or more LED segments, and a control device to vary the emitted radiation intensity of the LED segments.

An adaptive front-lighting system that is referred to as “Pixel Light” has also been proposed. In this system, micro mirror devices each reflect one pixel of a light beam. Further, the light beam is fixed in place but can be programmed to suit the conditions in front of a vehicle. PCT International Published Patent Application No. PCT/IB2007/051355 describes a system that places a liquid crystal element in front of a light source in order to steer the light beam.

A system having at least one semiconductor light source is known from EP 2221219, said semiconductor light source being integrated in a specified position in a daytime running light module of the vehicle. This means that the at least one semiconductor light source is arranged in the daytime running light module in a fixed or stationary position. In order to produce the curve light and/or deflecting light function, the at least one semiconductor light source is not rotated or pivoted, but connected thereto.

All of the known solutions for active curve lighting have the disadvantage that an area to the side of the vehicle cannot be illuminated due to the mounting position of the headlamp.

The invention solves this problem by also using additional lighting in the exterior mirror, which is referred to as a short-range cornering light.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention will now be explained by means of example embodiments with reference to the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic top view of a lighting distribution using a system for electronic adaptive front-lighting of a vehicle;

FIG. 2 illustrates the illumination areas of the invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates an example embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates the lighting in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic top view of a lighting distribution using a system for electronic adaptive front-lighting of a vehicle. This figure illustrates a driving situation in which the vehicle 1 is driving along a roadway 2 curving towards the left. In addition, this figure illustrates an example embodiment of an electronic adaptive front-lighting system LED module in the headlamp with three different light sectors L1, L2, L3.

As shown in FIG. 1, the low-beam light source projects a standard light distribution 16 having a center axis 17 forward of the vehicle. In addition, the light sectors L1, L2, L3 project light beams 21, 23, 25, respectively, having center axes 22, 24, 26 respectively, at angles β1, β2, β3, respectively, from the center axis 17 of the standard light distribution 16. Each of the light sectors L1, L2, L3 may include one or more LEDs, based on the LED type and the amount of light required for each sector. In addition, the light intensity of each of the light sectors may be independently controlled. In this manner, the light distributions 16, 21, 23, 25 may be optimally controlled based on a particular driving situation, a vehicle speed, a steering wheel angle, a proximity to other vehicles, a selected driving comfort/behavior programmed, an actuation of an input device such as a switch or any other human-machine interface, road characteristics such as curvature or width, etc.

Further, each LED of each light sector may include an optical element to assure smoother light distribution throughout each light sector. The optical element may include a lens, a reflector, etc. The particular optical element utilized may depend upon the particular angles β₁, β₂, β₃ and the size of the desired illumination area for each light sector L1, L2, L3, for example.

The light sectors 21, 23, 25 illuminate areas forward and to the left of the vehicle for the driving situation in which the vehicle is driving along a roadway curving towards the left.

FIG. 2 illustrates the aperture to the left alongside the vehicle 2. Exterior mirrors 3 are arranged on both sides of the vehicle. The mirror blinkers 5 have to illuminate the shaded area 7, which extends 5 degrees towards the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and 55 degrees away from it. This illumination is achieved with the lights for light sector L5.

The entire area between the illuminated area 16 to 25 of the headlamps is not lit up. However, if the vehicle wants to turn, the adaptive portion of the headlamps is not enough to light up the area of the roadway adjacent to the vehicle. For this purpose, a further light source for light sector L4 is used in the exterior mirror 3. This light sector L4 illuminates an area 6 which extends at least outwardly from the extension of the exterior mirrors 3 to the bodywork contour 7 of the vehicle.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example embodiment of an exterior mirror 3 for adaptive lighting of a vehicle. The exterior mirror 3, in this example, consists of a mirror head, which comprises a reflecting element on its side which is not visible in the drawing, and a mirror base with which the exterior mirror is mounted on the vehicle. The vehicle 1 is indicated in the drawing with a sketched contour. The exterior mirror contains a lighting module 5 which, in this example, extends along the longitudinal axis of the exterior mirror, which leads away from the vehicle.

The lighting module 5 may include a blinker, a side marker light source, an integrated daytime running light (DRL) and an adaptive cornering light.

As shown in this example embodiment, the integrated daytime running light (DRL), the blinker and the adaptive cornering light include LEDs D1 to D8 and light sectors L4 to L6. It should be understood that the lighting module 5 is not limited to the illustrated example embodiment. The number of light sectors Lx may be varied, and the arrangement of the light sectors Lx may also be varied, such as horizontally, vertically, diagonally, in a straight line, in a curved line, etc. In addition, the light sectors L4 to L6 may each share the same location as one of the daytime running lights D1 to D8. As shown in FIG. 4, light sector L5 shares the same location as daytime running light D2, light sector L4 shares the same location as daytime running light D4, and light sector L6 shares the same location as daytime running light D6.

Further, FIG. 4 schematically illustrates optical elements as semicircular elements. The optical elements are utilized to direct the light of each DRL LED and each cornering light LED in a particular direction. The optical elements include reflectors, lenses, etc.

The light sectors L5, L4, L6 contain LEDs, in order to illuminate areas forward and to the left of the vehicle for the driving situation in which the vehicle is driving along a roadway curving towards the left.

In another embodiment, the lighting module 5 only contains a mirror blinker and a cornering light. As a result, only two light sectors are defined, but both may, in each case, contain light sources for the other function respectively. Since the blinking function must emit amber-colored light, the LEDs which perform the blinking function are provided only for this specific function.

In addition to the arrangement and sufficient number of LEDs for the different functions, the control system for using the adaptive cornering light in the exterior mirror is important. Since it only makes sense to use the cornering light in the exterior mirror during sharp turning maneuvers, it make sense to couple the activation of the adaptive cornering light with vehicle parameters and, in particular, with the speed.

It makes sense to only activate the adaptive cornering light in the exterior mirror below a threshold speed.

The lighting module is controlled by means of the door control module or a controller in the exterior mirror, which receives data via a bus system.

Input data is fed into the control unit. Said input data includes vehicle data such as, for example, vehicle speed, steering wheel angle, road characteristics, etc. The control unit then controls each of the adaptive light sectors Lx of the left and right lighting module, independently of each other, to turn on or off each of the LED light sectors and/or to vary their light intensity.

A useful control system is obtained, if the following vehicle parameters are met:

-   -   The vehicle is stationary or only moving at low speed, for         example up to 30 km/h.     -   The turn signal is activated     -   And the running light is on.     -   The steering angle is greater than a threshold value.

This set of parameters defines a sharp turn at low speed in poor visibility and results in the adaptive cornering light being activated. 

1. A short-range cornering light in the exterior mirror of a vehicle, which contains at least one lighting unit that comprises at least one mirror blinker, characterized in that the lighting unit contains means for illuminating a short-range area that extends at least alongside the vehicle and in front of the exterior mirror in the driving direction, wherein the means can be activated below a threshold speed of the vehicle.
 2. The short-range cornering light according to claim 1, characterized in that the lighting unit contains LEDs which are specified for different lighting functions.
 3. The short-range cornering light according to claim 1, characterized in that the lighting unit specifies several light sectors.
 4. The short-range cornering light according to claim 1, characterized in that the lighting unit contains additional light sectors for daytime running lights.
 5. The short-range cornering light according to claim 1, characterized in that the lighting unit contains additional sectors for position lights.
 6. The short-range cornering light according to claim 1, characterized in that the lighting unit is connected to a control system which processes vehicle parameters.
 7. The short-range cornering light according to claim 6, characterized in that the control system activates the lighting unit in the blinker and cornering light combination.
 8. The short-range cornering light according to claim 6, characterized in that the control system activates the cornering light on exceeding a threshold for the steering angle.
 9. The short-range cornering light according to claim 7, characterized in that the control system activates the cornering light on exceeding a threshold for the steering angle. 